Day One:
I arrived at Banda Aceh, one of the greatest hit cities during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that resulted in more than 200,000 deaths in over 14 countries. A friend I met on board the Peace Boat cruise I joined last year introduced to me some locals. They cordially welcomed me at the airport before bringing me around the city, visiting the Aceh Tsunami museum, meeting and interviewing some representatives of a local organization that uses art to raise awareness about several social issues, and also getting some survey done for my research. Looking forward to the next few days here!

Day Two:
I went with my research gang on motorbikes to the outskirts of Aceh. The scenery from the top of the mountain was absolutely breathtaking. We did some survey with the people living in the relocated settlements on the mountains. The people in Aceh are unbelievably friendly. When we approached them for survey, not only did they not show a hint of apprehension, they warmly invited us into their homes as we chatted while doing the survey. Today has been another great day.

Day Three:
Reached the target of number of respondents for my questionnaire survey, all thanks to my hardworking research team! Looking forward to tomorrow’s interview and focus group discussion. We went to a coffee shop along the river today and spoke to some fishermen. The way they perceive development, DRR and the government was extremely intriguing, and was vastly different from people living in the city.

Day Four:
After chatting and surveying the local people over the first 3 days, I had interviews with representatives from the Aceh Disaster Management Agency, head of a local NGO, university professor and a geucik (village leader). It’s important to learn from various perspectives! Going back to Singapore tomorrow!

From the fishermen and housewives sitting around at the coffeeshops to university and high school students, NGO leaders to officials of government agencies, from geucik (village leaders) to imeum (religious leaders), it has been a fantastic experience meeting and talking to people from all walks of life in Aceh. I have had limited knowledge about the history and culture of this amazing place prior to this, but this trip has been full of surprises. Aceh has had a unique history rife with conflicts due to the 30-year long GAM independence movement, and everything changed after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Much more than the “research data” I was looking for, this place has taught me important history lessons, the value of peace, the allure of diversity and the sheer beauty of altruistic hospitality. I really appreciate all the warm and generous help, as well as cordial friendship, in Aceh. Hope to go back again!